


Dust to Dust

by steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeb



Series: Ficlets [1]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-29
Updated: 2012-01-29
Packaged: 2017-10-30 06:39:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/328876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeb/pseuds/steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A memory of Clint's in which he describes how he lost his humanity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dust to Dust

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as part of the back story of my character on a forum RP that I am involved with.

I was once stationed in Afghanistan.

This is where I lost my humanity. My Delta unit was sent to a small village deep in the heart of the country to retrieve some big figurehead; I can't remember the guy's name let alone how to spell it. All I remember it was just a bunch of gibberish.

At this time I also disarmed bombs. Not exactly my favorite thing to do but I did my job and I did it well. Ten years ago I was just a lieutenant trying to make my way through SHIELD's Delta squad without getting a .50-caliber bullet through my face. But I loved my job; however, my job did not like me.

We came up on the village quiet as ghosts, peering into sleeping homes without making a sound. In situations like these I always had my bow ready; it was silent, deadly, easier to work with in a situation that demanded quickness. Suddenly a scream tore through the middle of the village and everything exploded in a rush of voices and rifles clicking off their safeties. I ran to the front of the unit and slid to a stop.

A young man stood with his hands in the air, tears pouring down his face. I ordered our translator, Ali-Saad Muhamet, to the front. "Ask him his name.". They spoke quickly in whatever their language was.

"His name is Mustafa, sir."

The boy pointed to his gut, babbling about something that I did not understand. "Ask him how old he is."

"Twelve, sir."

Twelve years old. Twelve f*cking years old. "What's in his shirt?"

We all had our rifles aimed at the little boy as he gestured wildly. "It is a bomb, sir. It is in his stomach."

I shouted for everyone to get back and clear the area. A body bomb. Whoever rigged it inside this kid did not expect him to go home that day. It was the first I had seen, but I heard stories. Stories of soldiers playing with groups of kids and giving hugs only to have a thirty foot radius explode. Whether this kid was supposed to be alive when this went off, I will never know.

"Tell him we will do our best. But no sudden movements and keep his hands up."

Ali translated and the boy quieted somewhat, muttering to himself. "He says that he is not afraid to die, that he will see his Papa and brothers again, _Inshallah_." I knew what that phrase meant, "God willing." But God did not do this to the little boy, evil people did.

I crept towards the kid and inspected his stomach. Luckily for the unit it was set to a timer but I had very little time to diffuse the bomb. The only way I could get to the bomb was to cut open his horribly stitched stomach but that would put him in so much pain. I was unsure what to do. As I stood there, the boy spoke again. "What did he say?"

"He said he is not afraid to die, that Allah will be merciful to you because you are good and do not want him to suffer."

The little boy knew what I was afraid to admit. Shaking I retrieved my pistol from its holster and held it to the boy's head. _Allahu akbar_ , he said. God is great. And then I pulled the trigger.

The boy dropped to the ground and the rest of my unit went to work on disarming the bomb in his gut. I tossed the pistol away, afraid that if I picked it up again I would turn into a monster. With the bomb disarmed, I dug a hole to bury the little boy. Although his grave is unmarked, I still remember the exact spot.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.


End file.
